Lone Tree plans to compete on big stage

The Lone Tree baseball team won’t be making its state tournament debut today when it takes on LeMar’s Gehlen in the Class 1A quarterfinals.

Although it certainly feels that way for most of the Lions’ coaches and players.

Lone Tree (21-6) will be making the second state tournament appearance in program history, but first since 2001 today when the Lions take on third-seeded Gehlen at 1 p.m. at Des Moines’ Principal Park.

“It makes it a lot of fun when it’s a little unexpected, and that’s kind of the way it was for us,” second-year coach Steve Gibson said. “It’s a lot of fun, and we want to the kids to enjoy it, but we tell them we are still in this tournament. We are still playing along with those seven other teams and we expect to compete.”

Lone Tree enters the state tournament unranked, yet playing its best baseball of the season.

The Lions have won six straight and 10 of their last 11 games entering today’s state tournament opener.

Lone Tree won three straight postseason games by one run to reach the state tournament, downing Burlington Notre Dame 2-1 in the state semifinals.

“It’s certainly exciting, but we don’t want to just be content making it there,” Gibson said. “I know we are going to show up and compete, but at the same time, we’re going to enjoy it just like we have all year.”

Lone Tree will have its hands full with a 29-3 LeMars Gehlen squad that has won five straight and 10 of its last 11.

Two of the fifth-ranked Jays’ three losses came to Class 1A No. 4 Remsen St. Mary’s, while the other was a June loss to Class 3A No. 2 Sioux City Heelan.

“Obviously, they are very, very good. That’s first and foremost,” Gibson said when asked what he knew about Gehlen. “We are certainly going to have our hands full.”

The Jays have perhaps the most balanced lineup in the Class 2A field.

All 10 Gehlen players with at least 50 at bats this season are hitting over .300, and eight players have more than 20 RBIs and 22 runs.

Lucas Hunt (.402) and Solomon Freking (.456) lead the Gehlen attack, while senior Brady Heying has a team-high 33 RBIs and 10 doubles.

“They hit the ball very well,” Gibson said. “They have a lot of guys that can really hit, up and down the order.”

Unlike Lone Tree, which has relied heavily on ace Erik Murry this season, the Jays have relegated their pitching duties to a trio of seniors.

Murry has been spectacular all season, posting an 8-2 record with a 0.72 ERA in 68 innings. But the junior has been at his best in the postseason.

In four postseason appearances, Murry has gone 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA while allowing just 11 hits in 21 innings and fanning 33.

Gehlen, meanwhile, could use any of its talented trio of seniors in today’s opener.

Wiltgen has struck out 61 and allowed only 24 hits in a team-high 52 innings, while Heying has allowed 33 hits in 441/3 innings or work.

Flack has the best numbers of the group, allowing on 22 hits in 412/3 innings while fanning 61.

“They have three guys that they have really split most of the innings between, unlike us where we have relied on Murry,” Gibson said. “It seems like we are just very confident with Erik on the mound and that’s been big for us in getting this far.”

• About the Lions: Lone Tree returns to the state tournament for the second time in program history and first since 2011. The Lions won three consecutive one-run games in the postseason to reach the state tournament, including a 2-1 substate final win over Burlington Notre Dame.

• About the Jays: LeMars Gehlen is making its sixth state tournament appearance and first since 2008. The Jays have won two state titles, winning crowns in 1995 and 1999.

• What to watch: The Jays have only five home runs on the season, but don’t have a player that has struck out more than 16 times, and only three Gehlen players have double-digit strikeouts. Lone Tree pitcher Erik Murry has struck out 99 batters in 68 innings.